By
the A.M. Costa Rica
staff
The Costa Rican Petroleum
Refinery, known as RECOPE, will
sell a new type of gasoline,
ECO95, which contains 8 percent
ethanol. The move is aimed at
reducing CO2 emissions from
engines combustion.
RECOPE says that ECO95 sale is
in the process of price
authorization by the Public
Services Regulatory Authority.
The price proposed by RECOPE is
₡611 colones per liter (about
$1).
Fuel specialists state that the
new ECO95 gasoline will keep all
the characteristics of gasoline
known as Super and that Super
gasoline will be eliminated in
favor of the new product.
No modification is planned for
Plus 91 gasoline so it will not
contain ethanol. Drivers can
choose between 95 octane
gasoline with ethanol or 91
octane gasoline without ethanol.
Usually, the octane level
required for each type of
vehicle is registered in the car
factory manual.
Specialists say that the main
advantage of the new ECO95
gasoline is that it contributes
to the reduction of the carbon
footprint because ethanol used
as an oxygenating agent will
replace the compound methyl
tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which
is a more polluting additive.
RECOPE tested the product in
engines, both in the laboratory
and in vehicles owned by the
institution that are already
using ECO95 gasoline.
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"These tests
have shown that
in cars that had
received
adequate
maintenance, the
ECO95 provides
performance
similar to
conventional
gasoline but
better
combustion
efficiency."
Specialists
make the
following
recommendations
to the drivers
who are buying
gasoline:
- Maintain the
filters, because
the solvent
property of the
ethanol helps to
remove the dirt
adhered to the
gasoline tank,
and this will
make the filters
dirty faster.
- Check the
seals and
packaging that
are made of
rubber, because
rubber is
degraded by
ethanol.
- Check the
tightness of the
fuel tank top
cover (lid), to
avoid leaks of
water that could
mix with the
fuel.
RECOPE’s experts
want to assure
the public that
the fuel with
ethanol is used
in the United
States, Jamaica,
Mexico,
Argentina,
Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru,
Bolivia, Brazil,
Paraguay and
Uruguay; as well
as India, Japan,
China and much
of Europe.
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Have you ever
used gasoline
with
ethanol?
We would like to
know your
thoughts on this
story. Send your
comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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